Le Jardin Extraordinaire Wildlife TV Show

LE JARDIN EXTRAORDINAIRE

WILDLIFE TV SHOW

"It's a bit surreal to think that I'm now part of this legendary TV program that I grew up watching."

"Le Jardin Extraordinaire" is a wildlife show on the French-speaking Belgian public television 'RTBF'.

Born in 1965, it is the oldest program on the channel and it has the second-highest viewership after the News.

Since September 2022, I co-direct four episodes a year alongside wildlife filmmaker and show runner Tanguy Dumortier, who is hosting the show since 2014.

Making a 30 min wildlife show requires meticulous planning and execution. As a co-director, my responsibilities encompass the entire process, ensuring that each aspect of the production seamlessly comes together to create a captivating and informative program.

Excerpt

TITLE: Le Jardin Extraordinaire
MY ROLE: Co-Director / Camera Operator / Producer
TIME OF YOUR LIFE REQUIRED: 3MIN
KEYWORDS: #wildlife #tvshow #belgium #primetime

From Concept to Screen:
My Comprehensive Role as Co-Director.

I. Pre-production: Crafting the vision

Once our destination is confirmed, I set out to design an itinerary based on the available local wildlife, seeking out local characters to enrich our narrative. This process results in a script draft that serves as the blueprint for our adventure.

II. Production: Capturing the Magic

Over approximately 15 days, we embark on a location shoot around the world with a minimal crew, typically consisting of just two members, the host and myself, plus an eventual local producer/fixer to help with logistics.

While our host not only presents the show but also films the wildlife, I step in as the second camera operator. I capture the host interacting with nature guides or scientists, while simultaneously covering wider angles of wildlife and landscapes, set-up timelapses or fly the drone.

III. Post-production: Sculpting the Story

In the post-production stage, my work continues as I closely follow the editing process, co-write the voice-over, and even remotely edit certain sequences using DaVinci Resolve Cloud.

ONE OF THE MOST EMBLEMATIC SHOW OF THE BELGIAN TELEVISION

Since its creation on October 3, 1965, 'Le Jardin Extraordinaire' has had only three presenters.

The show has gone through different periods, following the trends and interests of the time.

The first period, hosted by Arlette Vincent, made a lasting impression on viewers in the 1960s and 70s due to the systematic presence of animals on the set, something unthinkable today.

In the autumn of 1991, after 26 years, Arlette Vincent passed the torch to Claudine Brasseur, who hosted it for 23 years and handed over the reins to Tanguy Dumortier in September 2014.

Since then, the show has consistently had the highest viewership on the channel, second only to the news broadcast.